ICES Experimental Economics Brown Bag Lecture
Wings of Growth: A Mindset Intervention in Rural China
Friday, October 31, 2025 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM EDT
Vernon Smith Hall (formerly Metropolitan Building), Room 5075
The Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science (ICES) presents an ICES Brown Bag Lecture featuring:
Monash University
Wings of Growth: A Mindset Intervention in Rural China
Abstract
We evaluate the impact of a six-week growth mindset intervention conducted in 18 disadvantaged middle schools in rural China. In the short term, the intervention improved students' socio-emotional skills, including strengthened growth mindset, stronger internal locus of control and moderately enhanced grit. However, we find no significant effects on academic performance or aspirations. At the six-month follow-up, the medium-term effects remained largely sustained, although weakened in size. Short-term benefits were more pronounced among male students, those with better baseline academic performance, and those who received more parenting. In the medium term, treatment effect heterogeneity disappeared across gender, persisted for baseline academic performance, while weakened for parenting.
For more information about the Brown Bag Lectures, please visit the Brown Bag Schedule homepage.
